Why do you need to know Shona? Just asking because, if you are buying a bike for yourself from the UK, you do it through the irish scheme, not the UK one in case you're misinformed.
"he" has no idea, "he's" trying to figure out how to pay for it first and then Don you can start the debate. but i think "he" could do with a FS for the winter...
All I know is that it is very messy. The bikes ownership remains with the employer so if you change jobs there is all sorts of hassle. They where trying to make it more like ours, but then ours is very open to abuse, theirs no so much. Your best bet is to ask on www.mtbrider.com they are all at it on that.